Holiday Escape

21. Do you travel on the holidays? Nope, not unless you count heading up to the lake. 

Speaking of which, I'm super excited to get up there tomorrow. It's been weeks since we were last there. 

Send Snowflakes

Oh my, I am waaaay behind on the Christmas Challenge! And I have to go back to #6 and #8, which I skipped in previous posts.

Shooting Stars

Last night, I had one of those moments I want to remember forever. It was the Geminid meteor shower, described by the Washington Post as a "dazzling spectacle." It was indeed the best meteor shower I've ever seen, thanks to the clear sky and lack of moonlight (new moon).

Rue La La: Time is a wastin'

Hurry on over to Rue La La! Today's sales are some of my favorite brands:

I saw "Boho Wardrobe" and immediately was in love with this sweater when I saw it!

Free People, $99.90

Wear with everything metallic ballet flats...

French Sole, $69.90

Rugby in Georgetown is a can't miss stop when we're in DC!

Ralph Lauren, Rugby  $49.90

Ralph Lauren Rugby, $49.90

We have these knives and they are incredible! I keep saying I'm going to take a knife skills course at A Different Drummer's Kitchen so I actually can use them properly.Maybe that's a good goal for 2013...

Shun Cutlery, $449.90 --

And this top would be perfect if I ever get back in the yoga groove. Lucy has the most comfortable workout clothes!

Lucy, $25.90

Go shop!
                                                               

CC & Mad for Plaid

                                                                   

                                       

So...I'm not doing so well on keeping up with the Christmas Challenge. It's turned into more of a Q&A list rather than 25 Days of Blogging, but oh well...Can't quit now!

7. Most memorable Christmas: There's something memorable about so many Christmases that it's hard to pick just one! I was the only kid in the family for a long, long time, so all of my aunts, uncles and both sets of grandparents used to come to my parents house super early on Christmas morning. They'd come for breakfast, watch me open presents and stay through the evening-- that's probably one of the reasons I hate opening presents in front of people now. I was on display for so many years!

'Tis the Season

Last night, the Sailor and I started decorating the house for Christmas. It's our first year celebrating the holidays in the new house, so it's that much more fun! In years past, it's looked like I have an abundance of Christmas crap classy Christmas decorations, but now that we're in the house and it's all spread out, I don't have nearly enough. Time for more stuffed snowmen:

Catching Up

It's been awhile. Between the Thanksgiving festivities and then battling the second (yes, second one already)  fierce cold of the season, I haven't had a whole lot of energy to blog or really do much of anything. But I'm back in the groove today with a few fun things to report.

I love you times infinity...

Readers who know me personally know how much I love my turtlenecks! I wore them everywhere all throughout high school and even wore one on the Millennium New Year (...to a club in Montreal nonetheless. Poor decision). 

Fall Weekend Recap

Happy hump day! My week is all thrown off because of the long weekend...Busy loooooong weekend - so for once it really did feel long.

Let Them Eat Cake

Quick post today. Just have to share this cute idea posted on the Glitter Guide's 5 Things to Try This Weekend...

They call it a 'deliciously sinful' birthday cake. My birthday isn't for another seven months though, so I'll have to find something else to celebrate! ...

Here's the recipe.

Three Things I'm Loving Now...

As promised, today's post is more upbeat. November is a month to be thankful, and I am grateful for...

BIRCHBOX
Yessss! I got my invitation to join Birchbox. I must admit that one of my favorite parts about ordering or buying new make-up is getting the little samples. Now, I will get my very own box of beauty and lifestyle samples delivered to me each month for just $10.

Purpose and Passion: The WHY of it all?

I've been reluctant to write this post, but here it is... I've been utterly uninspired by things lately. Uninspired by my job mostly. That's where I spend the vast majority of my time, like most people, and that spills over into other areas of my life.

A couple of weeks ago, there was an article in the New York Times entitled "Follow a career passion? Let passion follow you." Cal Newport wrote, "Growing up, we were told by guidance counselors, career advice books, the news media and others to “follow our passion.” This advice assumes that we all have a pre-existing passion waiting to be discovered. If we have the courage to discover this calling and to match it to our livelihood, the thinking goes, we’ll end up happy. If we lack this courage, we’ll end up bored and unfulfilled — or, worse, in law school." Oh yeah, went down that path.

I didn't lack the courage to "discover" my calling, but I haven't matched it to my livelihood. Yet.

I always had an idea of what I like to do in my free time, things I might even consider myself "passionate" about-- you know, the things you're doing  when time just seems to fly by. That passion has followed me and, periodically, when friends encouraged me to pursue it as a career, I'd respond, "Oh, that's not a job. It's a hobby."

Well, I'm happy to say that I've taken the first steps to pursue my passion. Although it can't be a career yet, I've at least taken some action toward finding my purpose. And maybe there will be a career change on the horizon.

I know I'm being a cryptic, but the details are forthcoming if I can make things happen. Right now, I'm just content that I'm no longer uninspired and feeling stuck. 

This post has been full of pinterest style quotes that make some people want to gag... Sorry. Lighter stuff is on the way tomorrow with Three Things I'm Loving Now.

Doloris Petunia: Over-the-Top Gems and Dresses with Twirl-ability

I think I've died and gone to heaven. I just stumbled upon Doloris Petunia, and I can't remember being this excited about jewelry in... I-don't-know-how-long. This is my new obsession.

Sensory Experience: Opus 28 Raindrop

Perfect song and visuals for today! Chopin's Prelude Opus 28 Raindrop

Window Shopping Wish List

I'm on a self-imposed shopping moratorium...There's absolutely nothing I need, and I'm working hard on being more financially responsible. But that doesn't mean I can't window shop! Here's my wish list this week...

On my agenda

Won't be too long now before winter is upon us here in the northeast...But, in the meantime, we've been trying to appreciate the splendor of autumn. The colors have been absolutely beautiful in the Adirondacks.

Doppleganger

Do you think it's true that everyone has a "twin" walking around?

There have been a couple of occasions in the past when Facebook asks people replace their profile pics with whatever star they're told that they resemble. I love checking out the similarities between people I know and their celeb "twin."

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"

Sometimes when you have that Woe Is Me feeling, it's best to take a good look around. (Well, sometimes looking around is the cause of Woe Is Me, but that's a whole different story. See Whitney English's post on that here.)  If you take a hard look, you'll find that there are many others in situations that are much worse than whatever you're experiencing. So one way to get over your woes is to take the focus off "me" and do good for others...

Fancy Footwear

SHOES!!! I said goodbye to my Jack Rogers for the season. I was sad to pack them away until a sunnier day and even sadder to see my sorry collection of well worn fall footwear come out of storage. I. Need. New. Shoes. It's not even a "want." It's a "need." Yup, that's how I'll justify it.

Miu Miu  Embroidered Velvet Slippers

And just look at the gem covered heel! They come in ruby red too... magic slippers! Navy, red, black. I'll take them all!

Bandolino Cazadora

So very practical - black and brown tall boots. One pair that matches everything!

Grey Suede Rag and Bone Booties

I'm usually not a fan of the trendy bootie seen everywhere this season. But, well, everything looks good on Gwynnie including these Rag and Bone Newbury boots. I'd probably need a blazer like hers to complete the look. And while I'm making my wishlist, I'd love long legs too.

London Charity Event

I'll leave you with this image of what would be the perfect, cozy, peaceful spot to settle in with a big stack of magazines and a glass of wine on a rainy or snowy evening. (White wine, not red. I'd probably spill red.)

Happy weekend!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Dolce & Gabbana

Gone Bananas for Barre

I took my first barre class on Saturday, and yup, it's worth the hype. I wasn't really sure what to expect, and I was a little apprehensive about going because,well, I have bad memories of taking ballet and tap when I was four. In my one recital, we hopped along in white tutus and bunny ears. I spent the entire five minutes on stage fighting with my bunny ears, which kept falling off. So, dance was never really my thing.

But barre class isn't anything like dance class. Health.com's Rozalynn Frazier summarizes it well: "You’ll do a lot of reps of small, pulsing movements (we’re talking lifting and lowering limbs a mere inch or two), targeting the muscles in your core and lower body (many classes also hit your top half), with big emphasis on form and alignment. They sometimes throw in a bevy of other props, too, like yoga straps, exercise balls and hand weights."

via Self

We're talking serious burn but fun (in the sense of satisfaction from working out hard...that kind of fun). The only workout that I've ever done that results in pain compared to barre is the P90x plyometrics (knicknamed "the beast"). That was much, much worse. And not fun.

Run, squat, jump, 180 turn.

After barre, I stayed for hot yoga. Needless to say, I was wiped out and hungry like a bear afterward. So, I spent the afternoon resting/nesting, making mini banana bran-flax muffins and butternut squash soup.

As you can tell from the photo, which is exceptionally bad, I didn't have a mini-muffin pan, and the mini-muffin liners just don't fit in the regular muffin tins. They taste a lot better than they look! And I've convinced myself that they're healthy, despite the stick of butter and cup of sugar.

Banana Bran- Flaxseed Mini Muffins

2 eggs

3 bananas

1 cup flour

1/4 c bran

1/4 c flaxseed flour

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c sugar

1 tsp milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 stick of butter

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the butter, brown sugar and white sugar together until creamy.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, bran, flax, baking powder, cinnamon.

In another small bowl, mix the eggs and milk, and mush the bananas. 

Add the dry ingredients to the sugar and butter mixture.

Then, add the eggs, milk and bananas.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Branch Out at the Treehouse Workshop

The Sailor and I spent last weekend doing yard work. The joys of home ownership. We're lucky to have some tall, mature old pine and oak trees on the property, and we're equally as lucky that the work went quickly. Raking and hauling leaves isn't exactly fun, but the Sailor was happy because he got to drive the tractor.

Product: "Proof in a Bottle"

On my last trip to the salon, the stylist (not the one I regularly go to) hawked products, as expected. They always get you at your most vulnerable-- your hair never looked better, so you think it had to be the stuff they used.

Getting Some Ink

No, not that kind of ink. I'm not getting a tat...until I have my mid-life crisis. I'm talking about ink handblock printing.

Long before we moved into our new house, I fell in love with these pillow shams from Rickshaw Design

 "Handblocked printed textiles for your bohemian life"...

Bohemian life- Don't I wish! 

Style Crush: Marissa Webb

Marissa Webb of  JCrew, Polo, and Club Monaco heritage...

LOVE this look. Effortless

Quieting the Lizard Brain

Sorry for the absence. I've been feeling a little off lately--disengaged, uninspired, lacking passion. I've realized that I haven't been doing things consciously lately but rather checking things off on the To Do List. I've been going through the motions without being present.

Three thrills...

Three things I am loving...

HRH Dutchess of Cambridge's Smythe Blazer

Princess Catherine is an established fashion icon after only a year or two of being on the world stage. With all eyes watching -- and no stylist!-- she looks fashionable and classy. 

The Smythe blazer is a topper that appears time and time again, pulling together both professional and casual outfits. She's worn it three times so far at the Olympics. At $595, it's a bargain! 

                                                                 

Healthy Snack: Greek Yogurt and Goldfish

If you hadn't already guessed it from reading this blog, I have a bad sweet tooth. Every night after dinner, I crave a little something sweet. Vanilla and chocolate twist soft ice cream always hits the spot, but it's not great for the waistline (or hips or thighs). No reason to feel guilty eating this sweet treat of goldfish grahams and greek yogurt though!

Monogram Running Shorts (and Bolt!)

How cute are these shorts? I'll be the first one to tell you I do not look anything close to pretty when I'm working out. There are the girls that get gussied up to hit the gym, but I put zero effort toward beauty when I pound the pavement. The goal is to get it done literally as fast as possible! If I had a pair of these shorts though, maybe I'd be psyched to spend more time in my workout gear?

Along those lines, I love this guy! He's so charismatic and really knows how to celebrate a win! 

Oh, and here's a fourth thing I'm loving-- Sheridan French is having a 50% off sale on all clothes! 

Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt.

After lots of pleading, the Sailor agreed to go with me to the Allman Brothers concert last weekend.

Me wearing a shirt that's ten years old, a classic!
I DEFINITELY needed to buy a band t-shirt.

I argued that it had been four years since we've been to a concert, and life is just passing us by. So he said okay. But he probably didn't want to go because of this-- massive traffic jam and big crowds:

Oh, plus it rained (And I mean total downpour) all day, so our lawn seats were looking less and less appealing as the day went on. But by early evening, the skies cleared and we had an absolutely beautiful night for an outdoor concert.

We started off with a pretty high-class tailgate picnic. There was a time when I would run out to a gourmet market to grab food for events, but this time it was all homemade goodness.

Beet salad (of course) with feta and orange; deviled eggs; and tarragon chicken salad, washed down with Tito's and club (no fruit, thank you). An award-winning vodka from San Antonio, Texas, Tito's is "a pure premium vodka" that became a bar cart staple after the Sailor read rave reviews in Saveur.

Annnd, the best part is that the master distiller's name is Tito Beveridge. We once worked with a contractor whose name was Leo Carpenter. Call me crazy, but I think that it's destiny when names describe a person's craft. Those are the people who love their jobs.

Enough from me. Listen and enjoy the few seconds of greatness I was able to capture!!!

Magic Carpet Ride

I've been seeing exquisitely detailed, embroidered textiles everywhere lately...  Maybe not everywhere, but Home Goods and Pottery Barn. So it might as well be everywhere. And maybe it just seems that my eyes are fixed on all of the beautiful, ethnic, jewel-toned fabrics everywhere  because the eclectic-boho side of me wants to add a colorful area rug a la suzani-style to our new living room...

Suzani, meaning "needlework," are traditional textiles from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and other areas of Central Asia, embroidered with birds, sun and moon patterns, flowers and vines. The patterns and colors tend to be pretty bold, so whatever piece of furniture is covered in the fabric is often the focal point of the room where it's used. 

                                          

Isn't this a beautiful setting for a garden party with global flair?

The ethnic fabrics work well with a neutral palette and can really brighten up a room by adding pops of color. 

                                                 

Used as a wall-hanging, the suzani is a bit reminiscent of college-dorm tapestries but far more exotic...

There are so many visually stimulating patterns and objects in this bedroom. It's amazing that the suzani, chandelier, ikat pillows, gilded picture frame and metallic lamps work together to create an eclectic boho haven.

How about this sitting area? Perfection. A jewel-tone Suzani patterned fabric chair with nail heads (love) and Moroccan style lantern. 

While I'm on the off-beat, one-of-a-kind kick, I'll share this latest addition to my wish list... a walnut headboard.

So glad Monday is down! Happy Tuesday!